Welcome to my space of nice. When you're feeling shitty, I invite you to come back and visit a spell. Every week, I'll post something nice. It will not be revolutionary. It will never be political. It won't even make you think. You're welcome.

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Anyone who knows me well knows I only really like to cook breakfast. Beyond that, I tend to regard cooking as necessary, often frustrating drudgery that does not come naturally. I’ll do it, but I won’t be good at it.

I was saved from continuing my single-lady dinner regimen of takeout, assorted combinations of cheese and carbs (e.g., quesadillas, grilled cheese), spaghetti Bolognese (make it once; eat it three nights in a row), chicken pot pies, and frozen Trader Joe’s delicacies by meeting, and later marrying, a lovely man who loves to cook. But since he truly is a lovely man, I need to make sure he’s not ALWAYS the one to have to cook.

That’s why, when I stumble upon a recipe that makes it easy for me to make a delicious dinner, it’s worth celebrating. It so happens I found just such a recipe last night.

What’s glorious about this particular recipe?

It’s way flexible. I didn’t have several of the ingredients, but the recipe creator, a marvelously reassuring woman named Diana Rattray, told me that was okay. Substitutions are encouraged. You can even make it vegetarian. Which means…

You probably have enough stuff in your fridge and pantry to make some version of it. We pretty much always have canned beans, fresh garlic, onions, dried basil, and “Better than Bouillon,” and that’s the baseline here. Given the “use what you want” guidance (check out the source link below), I forged ahead confidently despite my lack of celery, bell peppers, or fresh parsley. I used garbanzos, pintos, great northern beans, smoked sausage, dried parsley, and a ton of carrots.

Everyone liked it. My husband said it was delicious, though he did exercise the option of adding hot sauce. My 11-year-old stepson liked it as much as he likes anything we prepare for him. Which is to say, though he didn’t eat with the enthusiasm he reserves for things like pizza, tomato basil soup, and tacos, he did eat without complaint.

It takes zero skill or intuition. Well, you do need to be able to cut some vegetables without cutting yourself, which is sometimes a skill I lack. You should see how my husband watches me sometimes, gently interjecting, “Honey, please don’t cut yourself today.” But beyond that, the recipe is hard to screw up.

Stir in the chopped parsley and spoon into serving dishes. If desired, top servings with seasoned croutons.

Serve with cornbread or crusty yeast bread or rolls.

Tip

The soup can also be cooked in the crock pot. If you want to go out for a while to enjoy the day, go ahead and combine the sauteed veggies, sausage, and the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Set it on low and let it simmer for about 4 to 6 hours, or until the vegetables are tender. You'll come home to a comforting hot bean soup.

Red Pencil

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